This isn’t going to be my most popular post, but I feel the need to write it. The fitness industry has gone a little haywire and we are doing a great disservice to many people. In the 80s it was body builders (artificially enhanced) leading us to believe that we could have biceps the size of bowling balls. Then we had the High-Impact Step classes of the early 90s leading to many 50-60 year old former group fitness instructors to have knee and hip replacements. Today the focus has become high intensity and competition during exercise- every workout has to be all out or the perception is that their is little benefit. We put your heart rate and work level up on a board (we don’t do this at NF) for everyone to see shaming you into pushing yourself harder than maybe you should (or want to). If you win you feel great about your effort, but what happens if you lose? Also- you probably couldn’t win anyway if you are of smaller stature with less body weight than someone else in the class. Why does our industry always gravitate toward “more is better”. More might make you feel accomplished on that given day, but what is happening to your joints, including the discs in your spine. Please keep in mind that you only have one body and it has to last you your entire life.

Here is a suggestion– include your metabolic classes 2-3x week, strength train with heavier weights 2=3x week and don’t forget to include recovery- which might be a yoga or Pilates class that is focused on corrective exercise. 2-2-2 is a great plan- strength train 2x/week, metabolic training or interval cardio 2x/week and do a corrective minded class 2x/week. And for goodness sake- take a day to recover. Your results will be better!! And don’t get me wrong, we love metabolic training, but it was never intended to be done 5-6 times week.

With the New Year many new exercisers are getting started- do yourself a favor, don’t jump into these large group, metabolic classes without getting with an expert first. I’d suggest these three steps: 1. get a functional movement screen- this will allow a trained professional to see how you move. 2. then hire this professional personal trainer to design an exercise program based on your needs for you to do in preparation for training more metabolically (and with less supervision). 3. Complete an InBody Body Composition Assessment and meet with a Registered Dietitian to get your eating plan designed. If you aren’t eating correctly, a lot of your training will be wasted anyway.

If we can help you on your fitness journey, please email daleh@nutriformance.com to schedule a complimentary fitness consultation.

Dale Huff
2018-01-12T17:00:29+00:00 January 12th, 2018|Women: Success Stories|Comments Off on Shout out to Sarah Woods- one of our fantastic Pilates Instructors!

“I was expecting it to be great, and it was even better. I could tell it was working exactly the places I need to strengthen for my shoulder and my knee…and I know that’s because Sarah listened and focused in on them. She is wonderful, and I couldn’t have enjoyed the session and her more.”

Thanks to the internet and social media, I’ve come across a lot of self-proclaimed fitness experts giving out false or outdated information, and/or always drinking the kool-aid of the newest fad. Unfortunately, degrees or certifications are not required in the health fitness field – there are no federal regulations to help keep consumers safe. If you are considering working with a trainer, below are some tips to help you with your fitness journey.

First and foremost, check a trainer’s credentials. You’ll want a trainer with at least a bachelor’s degree. Having a degree (i.e. Exercise Science, Exercise Physiology, Kinesiology, Athletic Training) helps a professional decipher what’s legitimate information vs. non-evidence “fake” news. If there is a trainer with a very good “word-of-mouth” reputation and doesn’t have a degree, see how long they have been a trainer as experience is a very good teacher. Secondly, check to see if they are certified. You can go online to any trainer’s certification organization and see if their certification is up-to-date. Some of the top tier NCCA-approved certification organizations include American Council on Exercise (ACE), National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM), and National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA). For more information on top-teir certifications check out http://www.ideafit.com/certifications/personal-trainer. A trainer that is certified must maintain their certification through some form of continuing education. Most institutions require a renewal every 3 years. This helps keep a trainer informed with current research, programming updates, and techniques. Even though I’ve been in the game for over 20 years, I am still learning things!

Client testimonials – does a trainer (or gym) have any posted on their website/social media? This allows you to see what kind of clients they work with (age, goals, abilities, etc). Trainers posting videos of their own workouts and post-workout selfies may motivate you, but how are the actual training sessions with their clients – are they attentive and engaging as their Instagram implies? Are they able to modify exercises to accommodate your fitness level, or are they going to crush your joints that haven’t moved much in several months/years?!

If you currently belong to a gym, shop around. Observe the different trainers on the floor. You’ll start to notice the busy ones. There might be a reason why they are busy. Look at how they train their clients. Are they doing the same program for every client? Not necessarily a bad thing as they have found it delivers results. However some programs aren’t for everyone. Are they attentive, or do they look bored out of their minds? The latter may indicate they won’t be in the industry much longer. If they are constantly talking about themselves during the workout, red flag as they may not be keeping you in mind before, during, or after the workout.

There should be some form of an assessment to establish a baseline. A really good assessment is a Functional Movement Screen. I use the FMS to determine if there are any muscle imbalances, mobility and flexibility issues, and core strength deficiencies. The FMS helps a trainer determine what exercises are appropriate vs. not, and what needs to be added in to fix a faulty movement pattern. Basic fitness measurements and body composition analysis are good too as it will help a trainer choose the appropriate style of training or exercise selection.

If you have been sedentary for over a year and haven’t had a physical examination by your physician in over 3 years, its always a good idea to get one before participating in a vigorous exercise routine. If you are a male over 45 or female over 55 and you haven’t worked out in a while, get cleared by your physician.

Good luck with your fitness journey! Remember it took you weeks, months, even years to get “out of shape.” So be patient with the process and trust in your personal trainer.

Truth Fry, BS
Personal Trainer and Sports Performance Coach

Before joining NutriFormance and Athletic Republic, Truth graduated from Missouri State University with a B.S. in Exercise and Movement Science with a pre-professional emphasis in Physical Therapy. During his senior year, Truth served as a strength and conditioning intern with the MSU Football staff. He aided in safe instruction, implementation of workouts, and creating a high-energy atmosphere for the athletes. He also won first place in a campus-wide weight lifting competition during his time at MSU.

Before Missouri State, Truth went to Lindbergh high school in St. Louis. He played 3 years of varsity football as a wide receiver, linebacker, and long snapper. He also played 1 year of volleyball, where he earned MVP honors as a freshman. As a senior, Truth was Missouri Optimist student of the year award winner and was given the first ever Health and Fitness Excellence award at Lindbergh.

Certifications and Achievements:

University Dean’s List

National Strength and Conditioning Association Member

Strength and Conditioning intern for Missouri State University Football

Missouri Optimist Student of the Year

Truth has a passion for exercise and a drive to inspire others to become the best version of themselves. He believes that achieving a fitness goal is the purest form of accomplishment because it not only requires a tremendous amount of hard work, but also consistency and focus.

After 20 years in this amazing industry of Fitness, Ellie and I have so many reasons to be thankful. With our busy lives, between running our business and managing 3 kids crazy schedules (Maggie is now 14 and James and Evie are 10), it is hard to step back and really consider all that we have to be thankful for.

Teamwork– with an amazing and dedicated team of professionals, who are not only passionate, but welcoming and understanding of all fitness and athletic levels. This team makes daily sacrifices in their times and energy to make our business go and our clients find success. Without our dedicated team, we would just be a bunch of fitness equipment in a stale room. Instead, one can feel the energy and enthusiasm in the room, just by watching our team go about their business. I am tremendously thankful for them. This appreciation extends to all those working behind the front lines, in our business offices, to make sure we operate efficiently.

I am thankful that we have created “Blurry Lines“- the professionalism and knowledge of our team allows us to blur the lines between therapy and performance. Please don’t get me wrong, we understand our scope, that is part of having the knowledge to know when to refer to a physician or PT. But I am so thankful that our team pursues higher education such as the Postural Restoration Institute so we can bridge the gap between therapy and return to optimal performance, whether an older adult who just had a joint replacement, or an athlete coming off an ACL injury. It is so rewarding to see a client get back to 100%!

Not being part of a “its all about me” world– The fitness industry if full of “look-at-me” businesses. Many times they reflect their personal goals onto their clients, without really thinking about what the client wants or needs. Humility has been replaced by over-inflated egos driven by “likes” and “shares”, conversely, not getting those “likes” and “shares” might lead to lower self-esteem. We (Ellie and I) have shied away from social media simply because we believe our lives are built around many great people- from amazing committed clients/co-workers, supportive friends and family. However, it is easy to get sucked into social media and we do need it to promote our business responsibly. Maybe it is a perspective after 20 years in business, raising a family and being part of our great NF/AR community. We know our business is built around a we-centric approach, not a me-centric approach.

The Number 18– The number 18 is very important to me this year as it represents 18 years of marriage for Ellie and I (on Monday the 27th). I can guarantee that without Ellie, I wouldn’t have had a shot at being blessed with so many great things over our lives together. My family fills my heart each and every day. She is the foundation, of not only our family, but also all things NutriFormance.

We wish you and yours a fabulous holiday season filled with family, fitness and fun. As I did this am, maybe try and sneak a little time to reflect on all you have to be appreciative of and put it on paper.

Fascia is a spider web-like connective tissue. Much like bones and muscles, fascia keeps the integrity of your body’s structure. Fascia is does not have a starting or stopping point, but it flows continuously throughout the body. Unlike all other connective tissue fascia permeates everything. Fascia is involved in holding together your organs, nerve bundles, and even connects your skin to muscles.

Fascia is made mostly of collagen which gives it resilience and freedom to move and change. When your body experiences a trauma your fascia adapts to give support to the areas in need. Fascia tends to run in lines, think I.T. band. Fascia also binds in a saran wrap like way, think peritoneum, which is deep to your abdominals holding your intestines together.

The question is why does it matter?

The short answer is without it you would fall apart!

In a massage therapist’s world, another school of thought is you can alter the fascia holding your entire body together if you know what direction to it needs to be pulled. Ultimately you can make changes in the neck by pulling on your big toe! If fascia moves to protect your body from the trauma it experiences, then can you release years of chronic pain by stretching the fascia that has been affected?

Research on facia is very limited but if you are one of the many people who have been given pain relief through myofascial work, Rolfing, core care bodywork, and limited other massage techniques then the answer is with a doubt, yes!

Many of our clients and student-athletes completely undervalue the importance of recovery in order for the body to super compensate after a hard workout or training schedule. The importance of a regular sleep schedule with at least 8 hours of sleep; consistent mobility work such as foam rolling or massage; and flexibility. Recovery is always incomplete without adequate nutrition- pre- and post-workout. Some of our clients are time crunched and putting off meals to get to practice, eating on the run, or rushing out of the house and skipping breakfast. These behaviors lead to low glycogen stores and inadequate muscle repair. Not only are you not ready for your next workout, you didn’t maximize the results of your last one- it is a vicious cycle.

We are working on a program to help you fine tune your recovery strategies and want to introduce you to the first product we will be carrying to assist us in this goal. Please visit http://hyperice.com/solutions to learn about the greatest foam roll ever invented- it incorporates the science of vibration therapy into the rolling experience to enhance your results. For now, we will be retailing these in our pro-shop, but will also be incorporating into some of our personal training sessions and FIT program. email daleh@nutriformance.com if you want me to put your name on one before they come in.

If you want to get a handle on your nutrition, we offer a 1x month 60-minute nutrition coaching session. Why do you have a financial adviser, lawyer and hair stylist, if you don’t have someone helping you improve your health and productivity through proper nutrition?

If you think recovery isn’t important, please purchase this book and read it straight from two guys who burned out before they were even 30 years old. Luckily for us that it happened as they wrote an amazing book. Don’t let this happen to you! here is the book: Peak Performance- Brad Stulberg and the link below.

Dale Huff
2017-09-04T11:58:01+00:00 September 4th, 2017|Fitness Articles|Comments Off on Introducing FIT Small Group Personal Training and Pilates

Have you ever wondered what the perfect blend of metabolic training, corrective exercise (think flexibility and core training) and cardiovascular fitness might look like? Well, we have created it and it is called F.I.T.- Functional, Integrated Training and it is a blend of small group personal training where we focus on strength and metabolic conditioning, small group Pilates on the reformers and small group rowing, cycling and treading. In an average week, we can hit 3 different training systems– all with one membership! No more going all over town to do a barre class here, a rowing class there and a Pilates class somewhere else. You are spending a fortune and most of the time you don’t even have a membership that would allow you to come in on your own and do some cardio or strength train. And at NutriFormance, it gets even better, when you are enrolled as a FIT member, you also get all 75 of our hybrid and basic classes ranging from metabolic training, yoga, barre classes, etc. Purchase our no-strings attached 7 day trial and come in and experience our service and classes for yourself. Ideally, after purchase, we would love to sit down with you and map out a schedule that is conducive to your goals, schedule and likes and dislikes. We will help you with your nutrition by including a complimentary 30 minute consultation with our registered dietitians. You will get to sample any of our classes and see what a gym is like that has been described as Cheers (where everybody knows your name). Even after you purchase your 7 day trial, we can adjust your start date to make it work best for you. To schedule your complimentary consultation, please email patrickm@nutriformance.com.

Lastly, we are always happy to meet and consult on your fitness training goals and needs. In addition to our memberships and classes, we offer packages in one-on-one personal training, Pilates, massage, and nutrition coaching. We can custom build a program for you that is considerate of your lifestyle- travel schedule, work and family demands and goals. You do not need a membership to utilize any of our services.

Where everyBODY is an Athlete, EveryBODY Counts! Shoot us an email today! We are locally owned and are available every day. My email is daleh@nutriformance.com

I have been a member of NutriFormance for approximately 19 years. It has been fun to see this organization grow into the top-notch health club that it has. Dale and Ellie are to be commended on their constant focus on growing for the benefit of their members. They have staffed the club with nothing but fantastic trainers/instructors as well as provided quality equipment and facilities. Though I had been a regular at the gym over those past 19 years, I began taking particular advantage of the club’s class offerings about three years ago. Starting with mat pilate’s, I also now enjoy the TRX and spinning classes regularly as well. Beyond group classes, I began practicing reformer pilate’s with Emily Freeman on a private basis two years ago.

I can’t begin to explain how her instruction and care has elevated my fitness and impacted my overall health. She exhibits a personal interest in the well-being of all of her students. She even consults with my regular massage therapist, Marcy Blair, when issues develop. Because of that coordination, my massage sessions with Marcy are always therapeutic. Between the two of them, they have never failed yet to “fix” any issue I have developed. Emily and Marcy exhibit true concern about my overall health. I have nothing but total confidence in both of their abilities. Emily and Marcy are just two examples of the NutriFormance family that have had a positive impact on my well-being. It is because of all of these people that even after 19 years, I can’t imagine training at any other health club.

This year’s annual medical physical results, especially the blood tests, were so good, it totally stunned my Internist. Heart disease is a generational in my family. After a moment of silence, he asked what I have been doing. NutriFormance! What works for me is a triple combination. After joining NutriFormance 2 years ago, I learned to be patient with my pace of improvement, choose a variety of classes and stick to a regular weekly schedule. I also use the instructor’s modifications extensively. At sixty something, my fitness goal is to be exercising at ninety something.

I have always been a competitive athlete, but after surgery to remove my first rib due to a life-threatening blood clot in my arm, I went from having the eye of the tiger to being a big scaredy cat. I knew if I wanted to get back into shape, I was going to need personal attention, so I joined NutriFormance for their personal training. It’s one of the best decisions I have ever made. Dale and Ellie took wonderful care of me, thoughtfully pairing me with Katie, a seasoned trainer who is also an experienced physical therapist. She took the extra time to educate herself about my surgery and reached out to my post surgical therapist so they could coordinate their efforts. Under her watchful eye I have gone from fearful to fearless faster than I ever imagined. I’ve stepped out of my comfort zone and now I take advantage of just about every class NutriFormance has to offer. From spinning and dance to TRX and yoga their variety of classes keeps my workout routine fresh and fun. Their instructors flex their creative muscle to make sure their classes are everything but routine. Whether you prefer low impact or high intensity, they will literally work your butt off. But they also make it easy to modify any movement so you never feel intimidated or afraid you can’t keep up.

It’s not just in the gym that NutriFormance has made a difference in my life. I’ve consulted with their dietitians to make sure my nutrition is on point. I’m a big believer in massage therapy and I’d be hard pressed to find a more knowledgeable and experienced team of massage therapists. As a competitive tennis player I’ve always known the importance of stretching and flexibility, and as I age, a deep tissue massage once a month increases my circulation and loosens my muscle and tissue so I can keep playing at a high level.

Dale and Ellie have their finger on the pulse of their clients and I believe that personal attention sets NutriFormance apart from the big “jungle” gyms. It’s the reason I keep coming back and I’ll always be grateful even when I think I can’t do one more curl or squat or lunge (Amy, you know who you are). I may have lost a rib, but thanks to the folks at NutriFormance, I found a new lease on life.

After years of doing cardio workouts almost every day, I decided I needed to do some strength, weight training twice a week. This proved to be a huge benefit for me. Because I love to exercise and tend to overdo it sometimes, over the years I developed some aches, pains and issues. I added Pilates to my weekly workouts, and noticed a significant change in my body. Emily knows and understands body mechanics. She can immediately zero in on what my problem is, and she always works on my specific needs. I now have a sensible, beneficial workout plan that is never boring and I look forward to each day’s training. The Nurtiformance team has me on the right track.

Stress is a commonly used word that can be applied to everyone’s life. By definition it is a state of mental or emotional strain. Though, it is not always considered by the health industry to be bad. In small, controlled amounts, stress is good. It can support mental function and increase reaction time. Unfortunately, modern society has far surpassed allowing the small controlled amounts of “good” stress. People are now facing daily stress at a very dangerous level.

Not having the chance to “catch up” can lead to illness and secondary effects such as poor performance at work or in sports. And now, more diseases, such as cancer have been directly related to stress and lifestyle. It is clear, that now more than ever, you owe it to yourself to take some time for you.

For many, relaxation massage has become a big part their lives. Adding time to relax into a busy, often frantic routine has become vital to maintain a level of health and wellbeing. Be it either work, sports or family; stress is consistently targeting society today. It is important to add into the week or month a scheduled time to allow the body and mind to relax.

Similar to a car, a body needs to be maintained if you want it to take you from place to place throughout your day with no slowdowns or breakdowns. Allowing time to recharge and relax is essential to a body’s wellbeing.

Relaxation massage will:

Protect the health of your heart

Decrease the risk of illness and cold

Improve memory

Decrease feelings of depression

Increase mental clarity

Relaxation massage is not a luxury. It is a necessity. If you are suffering from poor sleep, ongoing illness like colds, lack of memory or concentration, you may well gain some clear benefits from relaxation massage on a regular basis.

Do it today. Make time for you. Reinvest in your life with a relaxation massage.